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Books > History > World history > 1750 to 1900
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The Somme 1870-71 - The Winter Campaign in Picardy (Paperback)
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The Somme 1870-71 - The Winter Campaign in Picardy (Paperback)
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List price R739
Loot Price R582
Discovery Miles 5 820
You Save R157 (21%)
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After the battle of Sedan on September 1, 1870 and the collapse of
the Second Empire, followed by the investment of Paris, the
Government of National Defence set about raising fresh armies.
These had as their first objective the relief of the capital. The
German troops covering the investment were stretched extremely thin
until the fall of Metz at the end of October 1870. This released
the forces around the city to move north and west to deal with the
newly-forming French armies. The German Campaign in the northeast
of France was conducted by the First Army led by General Edwin von
Manteuffel. Opposing him was the French Army of the North,
initially commanded for a short time by General Charles Bourbaki.
He was soon replaced by General Louis Faidherbe, who was sent far
from Africa. The Campaign was fought to a large extent over the
area of the Somme battlefields of the First World War, and the
names of the towns and villages are grimly familiar with the
resonance of what was to come. In 1914-1918 the direction of the
fighting was on an east - west axis; in 1870 - 1871 it was
north-south, with the line of the Somme being crucial to the
outcome of the Campaign. The first major battle was the battle of
Amiens on November 24; fought before Faidherbe's arrival, the Army
of the North was led by the Chief of Staff, General Farre. It
resulted in a German victory and the capture of Amiens. In
December, Faidherbe advanced and took up a strong defensive
position along the line of the River Hallue, where a fierce battle
was fought on December 23. After the French retreat, Faidherbe
regrouped, and advanced again, this time on Bapaume. Another fierce
encounter followed on January 3, at the end of which each side
believed itself to be defeated. Faidherbe was thwarted in his
objective to lift the Siege of Peronne, which fell on January 9. By
now the situation at Paris was desperate, and on January 15
Faidherbe began a march eastwards with a view to compelling the
movement of part of the investing armies to meet his advance. This
resulted in the crucial battle of Saint Quentin on January 19, in
which the Germans were now led by the redoubtable General August
von Goeben, who won a final and decisive victory. The Author draws
on a wide range of rare contemporary sources to describe the
Campaign, which was fought in appalling weather conditions. The
book is copiously illustrated, with specially drawn colour battle
maps to demonstrate the course of the Campaign, and also includes
extensive orders of battle.
General
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